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TEAM
Sarah Roxburgh, Esq.
Co-Executive Director & Chief of Operations
Sarah Roxburgh became co-executive director and chief of operations at VLS in 2010, after previously serving as a staff attorney. She has led VLS through several capacity-building initiatives, including with Social Innovation Forum (2014), the Nonprofit Learning Institute (2016), and Social Venture Partners, Boston (2018-2021). Sarah has served on Social Innovation Forum’s Alumni Council, which helps identify gaps in support for nonprofits. In 2019, she was named co-Lawyer of the Year by the Frank J. Murray Inn of Court.
Sarah received her B.A. from Northeastern University and her J.D. from New England Law | Boston. Upon graduation, she received the New England Law | Boston Dean Timothy J. Cronin, Jr. Memorial Award for the graduate with the most outstanding contribution to public service.
Anna Richardson, Esq.
Co-Executive Director & Chief Counsel
Anna Richardson became co-executive director and chief counsel at VLS in 2010, after previously serving as a staff attorney. In 2019, she was named co-Lawyer of the Year by the Frank J. Murray Inn of Court and was also a Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly "Top Women in the Law" honoree. In addition to her legal work at VLS, Anna has led trainings on veterans’ legal issues for the Boston Bar Association, the Legal Advocacy and Resource Center, and various legal services agencies throughout Massachusetts.
Anna received her B.A. from Boston College and her J.D. from Boston University School of Law. She currently serves on the board of the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee, appointed by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Cindy Palmquist, Esq.
Colonel Ruby W. Linn Managing Attorney
Cindy Palmquist is VLS’s first managing attorney. In this new role she oversees the casework of VLS’s team of attorneys in a variety of areas, provides direct representation, leverages VLS’s pro bono panel, and identifies opportunities for systemic change advocacy.
Cindy has been involved with legal services in some form or another since graduating from law school in 2008. Her first ever case was a pro bono family law case. She maintained a solo practice that focused primarily on family law and basic estate planning where she regularly balanced her caseload with pro bono and low bono cases. Before joining VLS, Cindy worked at the Volunteer Lawyers Project for nearly 10 years first as the supervising attorney in Family Law and Guardianship, then as the Legal Director, and finally as the Managing Director. She has extensive experience in family law and guardianship, supervising and supporting staff and pro bono attorneys and program management. Cindy was recognized for her pro bono work by the Women’s Bar Foundation (WBF), received the Unsung Hero award from the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers and was honored as a Top Women in Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. She has presented on several topics at the Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, and at the WBF.
Cindy went to both undergraduate and law school at night while working full time. She received her B.A. from Pine Manor College and her J.D. from New England School of Law.
Angie Vargas Martin, Esq.
Pro Bono Director
Angie Vargas Martin directs VLS's pro bono network, which features 200-plus volunteer attorneys from around the state. She has practiced public interest law, advocating for the rights of individuals in underserved populations, since 2008. Angie also serves as the organization's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) officer, spearheading internal and external DEIB trainings and initiatives.
Angie has worked as a staff attorney at the Clubhouse Family Legal Support Project of the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee and at the Disability Law Center (DLC). She spent almost 9 years at DLC, advocating for Massachusetts residents with mental health, physical and intellectual disabilities in cases involving abuse & neglect, human rights, housing, and employment discrimination.
Angie received her B.A. from Stonehill College and her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law.
Heather Rick
Business Manager & Program Data Analyst
Heather Rick began with VLS handling veteran triage, drawing on her experience and training as an interfaith chaplain to create a welcoming and compassionate environment for veterans seeking legal services. Heather now brings her knowledge of VLS's infrastructure and work flow processes to VLS's business management and program data needs.
She earned an A.S. in paralegal studies from Mount Wachusett Community College, a B.A. in religion from Smith College, and an M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School, where she specialized in religion and pop culture in the United States.
Kate Garvin
Communications & Development Associate
Kate joins the team bringing over 20 years of development, communications, and advocacy experience with her. She most recently served as the director of operations for the North Andover Merchants Association and development director for Stop Predatory Gambling. Prior to that role, she served as the vice president of development at the Merrimack Valley YMCA. She previously worked as a district director at the Massachusetts House of Representatives and in numerous communications and marketing roles in the private sector. She has served on several non-profit boards and committees.
Kate received her B.S. in Human Development and Family Relations, with a concentration in Work and Family Studies, from the University of Connecticut.
Kate's position is partially funded by a generous anonymous donor who is a decorated Vietnam War veteran.
Franklin Schwarzer, Esq.
Senior Staff Attorney
Franklin Schwarzer is a United States Marine Corps veteran, having served on active duty in support of operations throughout the Mediterranean and in the former Yugoslavia. Before joining VLS, Franklin was an attorney at Schlesinger and Buchbinder, LLP in Newton where he concentrated in real estate and land use law. He has extensive experience representing clients in court and before administrative boards and commissions.
Franklin received his BA from Johns Hopkins University and his JD from Boston College Law School. He is a longtime instructor at Harvard Extension and Summer Schools where he teaches courses on professional writing, on the First Amendment, and on the Law of War.
Perry Denton, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Perry Denton is a U.S. Air Force veteran, having served from early 2012 to late 2014 as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician. After his separation from the military, Perry pursued college and law school with the assistance of veteran educational benefits and now brings to VLS his own experience accessing the healthcare and benefits offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Perry received his B.A. from Columbia University and his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School with a concentration in Business and Finance Law. As a law student, Perry and his teammate were distinguished for their superior performance in the 2020 National Veterans Law Moot Court Competition.
Katherine Coombs, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Katherine Coombs is serving as a Staff Attorney at VLS. Before joining VLS, Katherine worked for the Oregon Department of Justice as an Assistant Attorney General in the Child Advocacy and Protection Division.
Katherine received her B.S. from the University of Vermont and her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School.
Jenna Dwy, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Jenna Dwy rejoined the VLS team as a staff attorney in 2024 after serving as a law student advocate in 2023. She is dedicated to ensuring that all individuals have access to the resources necessary to assert their autonomy and participate in community. Before beginning her legal career, Jenna spent five years as a community resource specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and two years as a certified nurse's aide.
Jenna holds a B.A. in Disability Studies and Human Rights from the University of Connecticut and earned her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School. In recognition of her dedication to service, she received the Wyman Award from Suffolk University and was honored by the Massachusetts chapter of the National Lawyers Guild as a distinguished law student of 2024.
James Johnson, Esq.
Staff Attorney
James Johnson is U.S. Army paratrooper Sergeant veteran with disabilities with almost 6 years of service. During his enlistments, he received numerous medals and awards, and spent his final assignment in Anchorage, Alaska. Medically discharged in December 2018, James used his veteran educational benefits to attend college and then law school, graduating both within 5 years.
James received his double-major B.A. in Justice and Psychology from University Of Alaska Anchorage, and his J.D. from Boston College (BC) Law School as a Public Interest Designation Fellow. During law school, James was among 8 students interviewed and selected from among BC Law, Boston University School of Law, and Harvard Law School to teach as an Instructor-at-Law with faculty status in the College of Arts & Sciences at Boston College. He was also a Lived Experience Fellow in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental & Related Disabilities (LEND) Program with Boston Children's Hospital.
Adam Wintzer
AmeriCorps Legal Advocate
Adam is a University of Massachusetts Amherst Alumni as of May 2024 and a native Bostonian. As a member of the Commonwealth Honors College he earned his bachelor’s in Political Science and developed an interest in public service through his studies. Currently he is an Americorps Legal Advocate and works with VLS providing civil legal aid to ensure veterans receive the benefits and services they deserve.
Leah Yonemoto-Weston
AmeriCorps Legal Advocate
Leah graduated in 2024 from Oberlin College with a BA in Comparative American Studies and Spanish. With experience as a legal assistant for a solo practitioner, Leah has gained strong skills in client intake and communication. Her background also includes experience as a trauma-informed peer counselor at Oberlin's student health center and as an intern at Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition in her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. Passionate about social justice and community engagement, Leah is eager to contribute to VLS while continuing to learn and grow. After her service year, she plans to pursue law school or other graduate studies to further her commitment to public advocacy.
Barbara Ortiz
Eligibility and Outreach Specialist
Barbara is a fourth-year student at Northeastern University, studying Criminal Justice and Psychology on the pre-law track. She is currently serving as the Eligibility and Outreach Specialist through Northeastern’s co-op program. Barbara has prior experience working with the Boston-based non-profit Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly, where she helped combat loneliness and isolation among older adults. She is excited to contribute to VLS and its mission and looks forward to further developing her legal skills and knowledge through this co-op experience as she aspires to attend law school.
ACCESS TO JUSTICE FELLOWS
Susan Anderson, Esq.
Access to Justice Fellow
Susan Anderson’s commitment to access to justice is longstanding: She began her career as a legal services staff attorney, and after leaving legal services for state government, continued to support efforts to ensure access to justice by joining the efforts of the Massachusetts Bar, and by supporting not-for-profit organizations that promote equality.
Most recently, Susan served as a consultant to the Office of the State Treasurer, where she managed and conducted administrative hearings for the State Board of Retirement. Prior to that, Susan served as General Counsel of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs. Before joining Elder Affairs, Susan served the Commissioner of Insurance as Senior Counsel and Chief Hearing Officer.
Susan is currently a member of the MBA Civil Rights and Social Justice Section Council, has twice served as chair of the MBA Access to Justice Section Council, and is a past-chair of the MBA Health Law Section Council and Public Law Section Council. Through the Community Action Partners, a joint project of alumni of the Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School, Susan has advised not-for-profit healthcare and human services organizations on marketing, governance, and strategic planning. Susan currently serves on the Advisory Committee of MissionSAFE: A New Beginning, a NFP youth development program in Dorchester. She also serves on the Advisory Committee of CodeSquad, a NFP that seeks to diversify the tech industry by training adults from Boston's low-income neighborhoods to become full-stack software developers, and to find full-time software jobs.
Pamela Meister, Esq.
Access to Justice Fellow
Pamela Meister is an Access to Justice Fellow who works with VLS, primarily on policy issues. She retired from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine (BORIM) in 2015. While at BORIM, she prosecuted complaints of physician misconduct and represented the Board in complex administrative proceedings. She also advised staff concerning privacy laws and public records.
Pamela spent 12 years as an Assistant Attorney General in Massachusetts, specializing in elder and consumer matters. She managed a U.S. Department of Justice grant to train law enforcement officials and advocates to better identify, investigate and prosecute elder abuse. She headed a multidisciplinary team that developed statewide conferences and drafted elder policies for police departments. Pamela is a frequent speaker on elder and consumer issues and recipient of an Attorney General Award for Excellence.
Earlier in her legal career, Pamela was a trial attorney in the Civil Division, Torts Branch of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., where she defended the government in multi-million dollar toxic tort cases. She also worked in private practice in Massachusetts and Texas. Pamela has served on the boards of the Women’s Bar Association and the Women’s Bar Foundation. She is active in her local Historical Commission and Historical Society.